This massive sailing ship has one to four masts (usually two or three) with either square or lateen sails. Often they have raised forecastles and sterncastles. Sailing ships are primarily used for ocean travel. Most merchant ships, and many military and pirate vessels are sailing ships of one type or another.
Variations
- Brig: A light, two-masted sailing ship. The forward sail is square-rigged. These two-masted, square-rigged ships are employed as fast merchant vessels, but are also often armed as corsairs or privateers. They’re lighter than frigates, but able to carry a comparable armament.
- Brigantine: Brigantines are smaller than brigs, and are slightly more maneuverable, though they cannot sport the same armament. Brigantines are often employed as armed merchants, escorts, privateers, or corsairs.
- Caravel: A light sailing ship with two or three masts and multiple decks, usable on the open ocean. Small lateen-rigged ships characterized by a high sterncastle, caravels are generally employed in cargo or fishing, but sometimes armed for raiding.
- Carrack: A heavier sailing ship with three or four masts and multiple decks.
- Catamaran: A catamaran is a small vessel formed of two hulls or floats held side by side by a frame above them. Very fast but not rugged enough for warfare, they’re most often used in tropical climes for fishing and transporting cargo. Some island tribes, however, sometimes use catamarans to carry their warriors into battle, board unwary ships at anchor, or raid.
- Cutter: A single-masted sailboat, very light and fast.
- Felucca: With lateen sails on one or two masts, feluccas are fast, sleek vessels employed for fishing and transporting cargo, and—rarely—as warships. Feluccas have a shallow draft and can navigate rivers easily, employing both sails and oars.
- Schooner: Characterized by a long keel and fore-and-aft-rigged gaff sails and jibs, schooners are fast, and can sail very close to the wind. They are used for fishing and as fast merchant vessels, but are rarely armed, relying on superb maneuverability to evade trouble.
- Sloop: Similar to a cutter, but with a more forward mast suitable for many different types of weather.
Note: There are numerous differences between the descriptions below due to the sources. Be sure to use the mechanics for the version of naval combat being used in the campaign.
DESCRIPTIONSource: PRG:UC Colossal Water vehicle DEFENSEAC 2; Hardness 5 OFFENSEMaximum Speed 180 ft. (current) or 60 ft. (muscle); Acceleration 30 ft. (current) or 15 ft. (muscle) DRIVEPropulsion current (air; two masts, 30 squares of sails, hp 150) or current (water) LOADDecks 2 | DESCRIPTIONSource: S&SPG Colossal ship DEFENSE
AC 2; Hardness 5 OFFENSE
Maximum Speed 90 ft. (wind); Acceleration 30 ft. STATISTICS
Propulsion wind or current Example Sailing ShipDESCRIPTIONPirate brig (sailing ship) Colossal ship DEFENSEAC 16; Hardness 5 OFFENSEMaximum Speed 90 ft. (wind); Acceleration 30 ft.Ranged 6 light ballistae +10 (3d8), 4 light catapults +15 (4d6) CMB +22; CMD 32 Ramming Damage 10d8 STATISTICSPropulsion wind or current CREWCaptain: NE female human rogue [pirate] 5/deep sea pirate 6 EQUIPMENTArmaments 6 light ballistae (port and starboard) with 200 light ballista bolts; 4 light catapults (fore and aft) with 50 light catapult stones and 10 alchemist’s fire canisters |